The Devil's Plaything
by VampireQueenAkasha
Summary: AU: She was taken into the shadows of darkness because of the so-called sin her lover had committed. Will she be saved or will she learn the nightmarish truth and become corrupted by darkness? Elita-OneXOptimus.
1. Interval 0

**The Devil's Plaything**

**Disclaimer: **Behold a bizarre idea that blossomed from a variety of sources; one in particular came from a frightening nightmare that I had of being trapped in darkness. I could see myself surrounded by eyes just...staring at me. I could hear whispers as well. Of course, this idea was originated from that source, I thought it would make for an interesting tale. There will be sexual references and probably disturbing imagery, so there you go. This isn't in a particular continuity as I wanted Unicron to actually be scary.

_"Commit the oldest sins the newest kind of ways."_

_-_William Shakespeare

_"Hope is the worst of evils, for it prolongs the torment of man."_

-Friedrich Nietzsche quotes

**By: VampireQueenAkasha**

_"We have no physical form you could comprehend..."_

-The Vok, Beast Wars

**Interval 0**

_"When I had journeyed half of our life's way, I found myself within a shadowed forest, for I had lost the path that does not stray."_

_-Divine Comedy, Canto I, lines 1-3._

"Optimus?"

Elita-One awoke in darkness, unable to comprehend how she had even arrived there. She was surrounded in perpetual blackness and shadow. No sound greeted her, not even the constant death cry of war from where she last remembered.

"Hello?" she called, looking around.

Elita wasn't positive as to how she arrived in the darkness, but it left an unsettling sensation of pain in her spark. The place she stood felt oddly solid as she found herself standing. She looked around, trying to find something familiar among the endless void. Then, by some strange coincidence, she saw something appear through the blankets of fog and shadow. It looked like a mech, but one she had never seen before. He was tall and had dark, eerie purple optics.

"Who's there?" Elita demanded, trying to keep her voice steady.

There was a heavy, chuckling sound and the shape appeared to disappear into a dark cloud, leaving Elita alone once more. She nervously kept her optics trailed all around her, trying to find the source of the shape.

_"Elita..." _

The voice was powerful and deep, carrying a hidden darkness that made her spinal relay shudder. She whirled around, trying to pinpoint the shape again. This time, several shapes began to appear around her. They were familiar ones as well; she could see Ironhide, Bumblebee, Wheeljack, Perceptor... They were all faces she had come to know. But how did they get here as well? Either way, Elita was just happy to see them.

"Guys! You're here!" she exclaimed, "I'm so happy you've-" When she approached them, they suddenly disappeared as if they hadn't even existed at all. Elita looked confused and somewhat unsettled. "Guys?"

A cruel laugh filled the air and Elita turned, coming face-to-face with a dark, horned figure with violet optics and shining fangs. He also had a long metal mustache and beard, similar to that of Alpha Trion's. Her optics widened in horror as the being grinned at her.

_"Welcome Elita-One..." _he hissed, in a disturbing, powerful voice, _"Welcome to the No-Spark. The Void."_

Elita narrowed her optics and took a careful step back. "Who are you?"

_"You know who I am," _the being told her, with contempt laced in his deep voice, _"I am the antithesis of Purity itself. Your spark trembles before me though you still defy."_

As he spoke, flickers of dark fire danced around them. Elita looked down at the odd sight, trying to maintain a her sense of courage in this uncontrollable situation. She glanced up at the being approaching her and with each flicker of light, his awful smile seemed to distort further and further, until his mouth almost appeared to be widening all the way back to the metal horns on his head. Elita was suddenly aware of who this being was.

"Unicron...?" she gasped.

It was impossible. Unicron was described as being a monstrous, planet-sized being who devoured everything in his path, but this one facing her was maybe a few heads taller than Optimus Prime himself. It wasn't real. It couldn't be real.

A mocking grin answered her. _"You would speak my name in this place. You are certainly brave."_

"Why am I here?" Elita demanded, "Where is this place?"

Unicron gestured around her with a broad sweep of his hand. _"You're here because of the foolish acts of a Prime," _he told her, _"Your precious Optimus has indeed committed a sin. My brother and I swore that should any Prime commit a high sin, even for the sake of good, he would lose that which he cares for the most. And that is his precious Elita-One."_

Elita looked confused and angry. "Optimus has NEVER committed any sin!"

Unicron smirked at her, his metal beard dancing across his lips. _"Not even your filthy lover would tell you everything."_

"No. No, you're wrong!" Elita shouted, "You're the liar!"

_"I have what was promised to me," _Unicron hissed, reaching out with one hand, _"And soon, your beloved Optimus Prime will come for you. When he does, I will destroy the last of the Primes and eviscerate what remains of his so-called, 'pure spark'."_

Elita felt herself tugged by an invisible force, yanked into Unicron's grip. He grabbed her chin and forced her to look into those pitiless optics. _"You? You will have the pleasure of being destroyed, defiled and riddled with your darkest desires." _

Elita's optics widened in shock when she realized what he was saying and wrenched from him. "Never!"

Her wrist blade slashed at his arm, delivering a horrible cut that nearly sliced the limb clean off. Unicron uttered a grunt and staggered back, studying the damage before he chuckled wickedly and grinned at her. Elita watched in horror and disbelief as the limb let out a sick, slurping sound as it refit and regenerated, the wound closing up once more. She glanced up at Unicron, who let out another cruel laugh at her expression.

_"You cannot harm me, child," _he hissed, _"Not while I reside in the Void." _He turned completely and raised his hand. _"But you? You could suffer a thousand tortures by my hand."_

Elita's body was suddenly filled with agony and she let out a shriek of pain, dropping to her knees as Unicron raised his finger, pointing it straight at her. Every single diode, sensor and wire burned with pure agony. She writhed beneath the power of the Chaos God as he smirked and slowly advanced. She moaned and oral fluids dripped from her mouth, forming a pool around her head.

"O-Optimus...will come...for me..." she forced out.

Unicron just smiled and dropped to one knee before her. He reached down and slid a hand beneath her chin, forcing her to look up at him.

_"I hope he does, Elita..." _he told her, _"I truly hope...he does."_


	2. Interval 1

**The Devil's Plaything**

**Disclaimer: **Behold a bizarre idea that blossomed from a variety of sources; one in particular came from a frightening nightmare that I had of being trapped in darkness. I could see myself surrounded by eyes just...staring at me. I could hear whispers as well. Of course, this idea was originated from that source, I thought it would make for an interesting tale. There will be sexual references and probably disturbing imagery, so there you go. This isn't in a particular continuity as I wanted Unicron to actually be scary.

_"Commit the oldest sins the newest kind of ways."_

_-_William Shakespeare

_"Hope is the worst of evils, for it prolongs the torment of man."_

-Friedrich Nietzsche quotes

**By: VampireQueenAkasha**

_"We have no physical form you could comprehend..."_

-The Vok, Beast Wars

**Interval 1**

_"I came into a place void of all light, which bellows like the sea in tempest, when it is combated by warring winds."_

_-Divine Comedy, Canto V, lines 28-30._

Optimus could not believe what he was hearing from the Autobot when they traveled back to Cybertron to Iacon. Not once had Kup ever seemed so shaken before. Not once had he ever claimed to see spirits of any kind. But here, he was telling him that Elita-One was taken by a black specter. Optimus could have sworn that the old Autobot had finally gone off the deep end. But Kup was not his usual crazy self. He actually looked haunted by what he had claimed to see.

"She was taken, Optimus..." he whispered, "I saw it with my own optics."

Sideswipe and Sunstreaker didn't exactly seem appeased by this.

"Are you sure you're not just losing your diodes?" Sunstreaker muttered, "I think the smoke from your cannon's are finally getting to your central processor."

Kup scowled at the two. "I'm not making this up, you disrespectful little cogs!" he snapped, "I'm not the crazy one here!"

"What took her?" Optimus demanded.

"He speaks the truth, Optimus..."

All heads turned and looked toward Alpha Trion standing in the doorway now. His aged features were filled with unease and it was a stark contrast to what he usually looked like. Everyone in the room immediately grew silent, concerned now by the fact that Alpha Trion believed such a story.

"What do you mean, Alpha Trion, sir?" Bumblebee questioned.

Alpha Trion looked at Optimus when he answered. "Elita was taken to a place devoid of light. Taken to the darkness. The Void."

Optimus reacted with a mild shiver in his chassis. "How? How can I get to her?"

"Optimus, you can't!" Sideswipe insisted, his optics wide.

"It's suicide!" Kup added, "If you enter the Void, there's no way you'd be able to return!"

Optimus did not seem deterred by their words. He'd go to the ends of the universe if it meant getting Elita back. Alpha Trion seemed to sense that there was no changing his will because he willingly offered the way.

"You will find the way where He was destroyed," he told him, "Unicron's broken body is a doorway to the Void."

"Then that is where I go!"

Alpha Trion shook his head. "However, the council will never permit the Last of the Primes to venture into Chaos." He watched Optimus' optics cloud with frustration and anger. "We will find a way to reach Elita. But entering the Void is indeed suicide, Optimus Prime. We cannot allow you to perish."

Optimus growled angrily. "So we simply sit and wait?"

"No. We sit and form a plan. Once the council convenes, we will find Elita."

No. Optimus knew what would happen. The council would simply address the issue and rule out the possibility of Elita being alive. But Optimus knew that she was still out there somewhere. He could feel it in his spark chamber.

And he was going to find her.

O

Elita didn't know how long she had been in the darkness. She didn't know how long she'd been calling out to anyone, hoping to Primus that this wasn't real. That this was just some horrible nightmare and she was still sleeping.

"Can anyone hear me?" she called, desperation in her voice.

She sensed something behind her and looked back, seeing the familiar shadow of Optimus. Elita smiled and immediately rushed up to him. He opened his arms and placed them around her, pulling her close to the warmth of his chest.

"Optimus, I thought you'd never find me!" she cried, relieved.

Optimus' voice was soft and gentle. "I would have gone anywhere to find you, my love."

Elita blinked and her central processor let that register a bit before she looked up and noticed that Optimus' blue optics were violet and his faceplate was uncovered. He had long fangs and grinned wickedly. She staggered from him with a cry and Optimus' voice was filled with Unicron's cruel, mocking laugh as he grabbed her wrists, forcing her against him. She struggled, watching the lie shimmer and bend like water before taking the form of the God once more.

_"Elita, don't you want to kiss me?" _he sneered, in a cruel parody of Optimus' voice.

"Stop it!" she shouted.

Unicron grinned and leaned forward, bringing those deadly fangs close to her audio receptor. _"I can not only grant you endless pain, Elita; I can also expand your horizon of sensual pleasure. You could experience physical and psychological states of euphoria that most mortals could never fathom!"_

Elita's optics widened in horror at the suggestion. Unicron seemed to delight in the sensation of fear and disgust that he caused before releasing his grip on her hands.

"I am faithful to Optimus alone!" Elita snapped, "I would never betray him!"

_"And how do you know that he could be so faithful to you?" _Unicron sneered, pacing around her slowly, _"All you have as evidence of his loyalty are the words. He's never even spark bonded with you, has he?"_

Elita glared up at him. "That's none of your business!"

_"Oh, but it is, my dear," _Unicron purred, dragging a long claw across her collar plates, _"I know that you and Optimus both are not bonded. Now why do you think that is?"_

"He and I agreed that it would be better if we didn't. That way, if one of us dies in war, it-"

Unicron let out a bark of laughter; it sounded like an animal snort. _"And was it he who told you this?"_

Elita wavered for a split second; Unicron was right. Optimus was the one who made the suggestion. But she wasn't going to let Unicron suggest such lies. She knew the God of Chaos could easily manipulate those with simple words and suggestions. She was not so easily swayed in such a way, even if he had planet a tiny bud of doubt in her mind, she would not let him get to her. Elita was much stronger than most femmes and she would escape.

Unicron smiled and shook his head. _"There is no escape, Elita. Not unless I wish for there to be."_

Elita shook her head defiantly. "I'll find a way!"

Unicron just chuckled as she turned and sprinted into the darkness.

_"Run, my pure little soul," _he hissed, _"You'll never get away."_

Elita could hear his voice echoing all around the darkness of the Void. She ignored it. She HAD to ignore it and move forward. She had to find a way out of this place or seek some kind of help if there was any. But in the Void, could there really be any escape? Despite the uncertainty, Elita had to find a way. She wasn't going to give up and surrender to the Chaos God, regardless of how hopeless things seemed.

After she ran for what felt like forever, Elita eventually had to stop to cycle air through her intakes. It was strange that she could still even perform such a task in the Void, but she didn't spend too long considering it.

Something suddenly flickered at the corners of her optics and she looked up, seeing a peculiar silver fog in the distance. Elita stood up and walked toward it, surprised to see an image of a Cybertron before the Great War. She watched in amazement as the image changed, reflecting herself and Optimus Prime before their names had changed. They were young then, going on their first date together. Elita found herself smiling at the sight as it played back like a recording.

Then, the image flickered out and reflected the horrible carnage of war. Elita could see eyeless faces lying in shed Energon, broken chassis and smoking corpses lying in a war-stained battlefield. Her optics widened in horror as she saw the extent of the war. She was truly seeing it for what it brought.

_"Beautiful, isn't it?" _

Unicron appeared behind her in a wisp of smoke. _"Not so different from Decepticons, are you?" _he purred, _"Though you cry out peace." _His chuckle was cruel and mocking next. _"You Autobots are the same as Decepticons, only you claim your fight for peace." _He looked at the image of war displayed before them and raised his hand. _"And what of the measures that had to be taken to get the information you needed?"_

Elita watched as the battlefield changed and revealed a Decepticon, bound and struggling as several Autobots circled him. She recognized Perceptor among them and Wheeljack. They didn't look anything like her comrades; they looked like soulless puppets, overseeing the interrogation of the Decepticon before them. Wheeljack didn't seem too intent on the methods, but turned his head away from the gruesome sight as an Autobot began to torture the 'con before him.

Elita had to look away and uttered a whimper. Unicron only chuckled softly.

_"Unbearable, isn't it?"_ he hissed, _"Such suffering. Such...violence. But you see, none of them are as pure as you, dear Elita."_

Elita felt a hand on her helm and her optics widened in horror. Her mind was flooded with horrible images; she could see gruesome scenes of gore and death. Several of her comrades in the throes of suffering and pain.

In her terrible vision, Sideswipe was dissected completely and handing from a wall but he was smiling and laughing, as if drunk on the agony that his body suffered. Bumblebee was hanging by his legs upside down, having his throat drained of Energon. Her female Autobot soldiers were lying in a pool of shed Energon, writhing in ecstacy and pain. Their bodies were mutilated, but they seemed to be enjoying every bit of it. And then Optimus was lying in a beth, arms and legs pierced with spears. His faceplate was gone and it revealed his tattered lips, cut up from an unknown source. His chest plates were ripped open and the Matrix appeared to be oozing with a disgusting, black tar substance.

Elita jerked from Unicron's touch with a shriek. "Stop it!" she moaned, "Stop..."

Unicron just watched as she backed away. He smirked when she looked at the "window" again, seeing another scene play out before her. Optimus appeared to be furiously shouting orders to his troops. A sorrowful look touched her face. He leaned forward, slipping his arms around her possessively and placing his chin against her neck, watching the sight with her.

_"Why would you remain faithful to a faithless one like a Prime?" _he crooned, _"The Light will always dim to Dark. And when yours does, I will be here to spoil your purity."_

O

Optimus faced the council with a grim scowl. "How can you suggest letting her fall into the Void?" he demanded.

"Optimus Prime, we have no way of knowing if Elita-One is still alive," Council Leader Levitacus replied calmly, "We cannot have you running into Darkness and risk your death for the sake of one female. It's illogical."

Optimus' optics narrowed. "She's alive! I feel it in my spark!"

"As charming as that may be," Levitacus argued, "It's not enough to launch an investigation."

Optimus was angry and frustrated. How could he hope to make them believe?

As he left the council hall, he made his way toward one of the ships and Jazz and Prowl immediately approached him, watching as he began to load up a few cases of Energon. They glanced at each other briefly and Jazz knew exactly what Optimus planned to do.

"So, going against the council, huh?" he said.

Optimus looked at them. "I don't expect any of you to come with me," he told them, "There's no need to drag anyone else down. I'm going to find Elita. I know she's out there and if Alpha Trion is right and she was taken into the Void, then only I can save her. The Matrix will be my guide."

"But what if-" Prowl began.

Optimus interrupted with a look. "If it comes to that, you know who to follow."

The two Autobots watched him with worried looks. They wanted to say something more, but Optimus was already in the ship. He took to the skies and into the dark vastness of space where he hoped he would find his lover.

_"Optimus?"_

He blinked once. Twice. Three times to make certain that he heard correctly. He could vaguely make out Elita's voice through his Com-link. It was filled with heavy static, but he could hear her calling for him. Optimus had no idea if he was truly going insane, but he knew that Elita needed his help and he was going to find her.


	3. Interval 2

**The Devil's Plaything**

**Disclaimer: **Behold a bizarre idea that blossomed from a variety of sources; one in particular came from a frightening nightmare that I had of being trapped in darkness. I could see myself surrounded by eyes just...staring at me. I could hear whispers as well. Of course, this idea was originated from that source, I thought it would make for an interesting tale. There will be sexual references and probably disturbing imagery, so there you go. This isn't in a particular continuity as I wanted Unicron to actually be scary.

_"Commit the oldest sins the newest kind of ways."_

_-_William Shakespeare

_"Hope is the worst of evils, for it prolongs the torment of man."_

-Friedrich Nietzsche quotes

**By: VampireQueenAkasha**

_"We have no physical form you could comprehend..."_

-The Vok, Beast Wars

**Interval 2**

_"Love, which is quickly kindled in the gentle heart, seized this man for the fair form that was taken from me, and the manner still hurts me."_

_- Divine Comedy, Canto V, lines 100-102._

It was strange.

One moment Elita was in darkness, the next she found herself in a gray world surrounded by peculiar spherical wisps. They danced around her, carrying forlorn, ethereal words. She reached out to touch one and felt a jumble of memories and flashes of thought fill her head. None of them belonged to her, but to this particular sphere. Elita pulled her hand away a bit, startled by the sensations weaving through her hand.

_"Behold...the remnants of former lives," _Unicron whispered, appearing behind her.

Elita looked up at him. "What are they?" she asked, studying the spheres.

_"Forgotten souls, swimming eternally through my kingdom," _Unicron replied, his violet optics flickering with the light of the drifting objects, _"No bodies, no life. Only exquisite emptiness for which they have wrought on themselves."_

Elita thought about this; each glowing gray orb was once a Cybertronian who had died in some way. She didn't know what they had done to deserve such a fate. She didn't know what SHE had done to deserve such a fate here with the Chaos God.

"Optimus will come," she whispered, "He will come and we will destroy you."

Unicron smirked and her and knelt down, bringing his pitiless optics close to her own. _"If Optimus cares so much for you...then why isn't he here?"_

Elita didn't respond, but she felt her spark twisting in fear. "He will be," she promised. But even her own voice began to sound less-than convincing.

It had to be this place. The Void was tampering with her logic circuits and making her question her own sanity. She knew that Optimus would never leave her here to suffer like this. If she could, she would have escaped on her own, but Unicron would not allow it. He controlled this place and in her present state, she could never hope to be free from it. All she could do was hope and pray to Primus that he'd show her mercy.

_"Mercy? My brother waits in silence for his follows," _Unicron sneered, reading her desperate thoughts, _"And even worse, they claim that he only speaks through the Disciples. Would you call that...mercy? I call it the actions of a cruel and arrogant God."_

Elita didn't answer. She didn't have anything to say to that.

She didn't know.

_"I am here to prove that even the most pure can become corrupted," _Unicron told her, raising one hand and forcing her to stand by an invisible pull, _"You will learn that there is no good. No evil. Only Chaos. And those too weak to embrace it."_

Elita glared up at him. "I don't believe you. There is more than just madness in the universe."

Unicron chuckled and brought her closer to him. She could barely feel heat radiating from his frame. Real or not, being so close to Unicron made her feel strange; it was as if her spark felt like it was being smothered with cold and warmth all at the same time. Her neural pathways trembled in his presence and her processor grew heavier.

He seemed amused by her words. _"Come now, Elita, do not deny the secret song your spark has whispered. You want more. I can offer you more."_

"You have NOTHING I want!"

Unicron smiled and made a broad gesture with his hand. Immediately, the darkness was transformed into a replica of Cybertron. This time, Elita could see that the Autobots were kneeling before someone rested on a throne. She was shocked to see that it was her lounging there, her foot pressed into Levitacus' helm, pinning him to his face before her. Elita did not recognize herself in that place; she looked wicked and regarded her worshipers with contempt.

_"You could have it all, Elita," _Unicron purred, moving behind her and leaning close to her audio receptor, _"Surrender to the Dark and it shall be yours. Everything you could ever want-power, dominion over the whole of the universe. You could be a Goddess among mortals."_

Elita shook her head rapidly. "N-No. It's wrong. It's all wrong!"

Unicron's grin was absolutely frightening. _"Is it? Is it wrong to have what you so rightfully deserve? Optimus lies to you. They all do. When you learn what he's done, I will look forward to having brought you to your knees before me."_

O

The broken sight of Unicron's mangled body sent shivers down Optimus' back. Golden chunks of broken body parts drifted ominously around him as he gently guided his ship to the center of the destruction. He looked up and could see a swirling conglomeration of red and black ahead of him that resembled a wormhole. Though he knew that this was nothing like that at all. And when he drew closer to it, he felt a pressure in his chest that originated from the Matrix itself.

_"Optimus...please..."_

It was Elita's voice. Coming from his COM-link. Only this time, it sounded a little louder. Optimus knew for a fact that she was here and alive. As he passed into the darkness of the mass, he could faintly make out the sight of Unicron's roaring face before it swallowed his ship whole. Immediately, Optimus felt his world go black.

_"Optimus..."_

_"Why won't you come for me?"_

_"Do you hate me?"_

_"Is that why you won't come?"_

The voice of Elita calling in his mind was so forlorn and filled with pain that it wrenched his spark. Optimus awoke and found himself lying on the floor of his ship. He stood up and peered out of the windows, noticing that he was standing in a shadowy realm of wood and stone. It was a strange sight because he only saw such things on Earth and rarely on Cybertron. Unicron had to be doing this for a reason.

But why?

Optimus stepped out of his ship and onto the transparent ground. He was surprised by the fact that the Void appeared to have a solid place for his feet. He looked around and felt the Matrix tremble beneath his chest plates. It must have felt the encompassing darkness and knew that it was in enemy territory, so to speak.

The Autobot leader started forward, keeping himself at the ready should he be faced with potential enemies.

_"He's come..."_

_"He's here!"_

Optimus looked up and noticed two serpentine shapes swirling through the darkness of the gray forest. They appeared to be floating tubes of smoke with frightening, dark faces. They had long fangs in their tattered-looking mouths and different pupil-less eyes. One had violet and the other had red.

"Who are you?" Optimus demanded.

The red-eyed creature chuckled, its voice oddly high. _"We don't remember who we once were..." _

_"Indeed. Our names...our lives...are forgotten in the Void..." _the violet-eyed one sighed, in a much deeper, sad voice. Though it sounded rather mocking.

"Wait..." Optimus said, "I know your voices. You were-" His optics widened when he could see a memory of the Decepticon's Scourge and Cyclonus fill his mind. "I remember you. You were once Scourge and Cyclonus!"

The two smokey creatures seemed to sigh.

_"We don't know who we once were, but we know you," _the violet-eyed creature whispered, swirling around Optimus with a wicked grin, _"The Master waits for you in the Dark. With your precious little Elita-One."_

"Is she hurt?" Optimus thundered, "If she is, I will-"

The two smoke beings laughed loudly with pleasure. They swirled around him, grinning their mocking grins.

_"How wonderful...you're going to kill a ghost?" _the red-eyed being hissed.

_"I would move quickly, Optimus Prime," _the other warned, _"The longer Elita resides in the Void, the further she drifts from you. Soon, she will forget about her life before... It won't be long before Unicron changes her. Soon she will become a slave to Darkness."_

"That won't happen!" Optimus vowed.

_"Then I would run along, Optimus," _the violet-eyed being warned, _"Or the Elita you knew will be gone."_

Optimus didn't need a second word in. He quickly rushed passed the laughing creatures, hoping that he wasn't too late.

O

Elita was dreaming.

It should have been impossible to sleep in the Void, but she found rest somehow. It was a temporary reprieve, she hoped.

In the dream, Elita was in her personal quarters and she was lying in the berth, being touched beneath a veil of the softest sheets by an unseen lover. She heard the rustling of fabric, felt warm, powerful hands gently stroking down her spinal relay. The flat-fingered hand sent soothing sensations through her body. Her lover shifted behind her, offering comfort through gentle kisses against the nape of her neck.

Elita's optics fluttered and she let her breath cycle out in a soft sight as her head dropped back. Even though it was a dream, the pleasure felt real, the touch real. Even the gentle sensation of the fabric against her body felt real.

"Elita..."

The being behind her breathed her name with hunger, love and desire. It was Optimus' voice and the very voice that always made her internals tighten almost painfully. Yet for some strange reason, she would not look back at him and he would not let her do so. She was melting beneath the warm, red form crouched over her like a hungry predator. That was how Optimus always was; so gentle, yet so passionate at the same time. To taste his hands against her lips, to feel every touch and sensation so gentle, yet enough to overwhelm her completely. She could feel her spark swell, making her chest feel tight with need and pleasure.

She leaned her head back, found his lips and kissed him. She was rewarded with a strangled, organic animal-like groan that broke from deep within him. His mouth parted from hers and moved down the length of her neck. Elita gasped as she felt her internals flip and her body tremor violently. His denta pressed harshly into the softer protoform beneath her chin and she gasped out his name with wild abandon, bucking back against him. The sharp pain that lanced through her from his bite was enough pleasure to draw a desperate moan to follow.

"You taste divine, Elita..." he whispered, a hidden power there in his voice.

And then, something drew a sudden wave of realization through the pleasure-hazed femme. His face, when she looked back at him; it was wrong. His eyes were wrong and his words were wrong. He spoke with a hidden power and audacity that she should have realized before. Only when she looked at him hard enough did she now come to understand that she had been making love to another man entirely. His hands suddenly felt cold against her back plating and yet, Elita could not resist. She had no will of her own, no strength to fight the overwhelming tide of sensations.

Elita made a soft moan of pleasure, her head tilting back as his mouth came down upon her throat, gently touching, tasting and biting. She was turned onto her back as Optimus moved over her. He kissed her cheek and lightly bit her lower lip. The feelings became overwhelming and Elita had to close her optics.

"Yes...keep them closed. Do not open them." His voice was deep and powerful, and suddenly sounded different. But her central processor couldn't function right now.

Something felt wrong. Elita's mind was screaming out intense warnings, but she couldn't control her body. She felt like she had no way of stopping what she was doing. There was a whisper in the back of her mind telling her that something wasn't right about this, but she just couldn't think right now, victim of such a delightful game.

He stroked her chest with one hand, a rather loving gesture and then ran his fingertips over her closed optics, down to her delicate, smooth cheeks. Elita felt warm all over. The touches were delicate and delicious.

_"Elita...don't..."_

A desperate voice called to her in the back of her dream void, but Elita couldn't reach it. She felt that she didn't know the voice at all. Then, Elita felt lips touch down upon hers and warm wetness of a glossa sliding into her mouth. The kiss was tender, yet carried with it hidden promises of something much more feral and hungry. Her head was spinning against the sensations of his warm mouth and the feeling of his hands on her body.

_"Elita, please..."_

There was that voice again, pleading and desperate this time.

"Don't listen to that one, precious..." Optimus whispered, against her lips, pressing down for another deep kiss before continuing, "Listen to me instead..." Another kiss, "Listen and..." Another kiss, "Obey..." His head tilted as he deepened the kiss between them.

That name... That strange nickname sent warning light flashing across her head, but her body didn't want to obey the warnings. Her soul rejected them and her spark shrieked protests against stopping anything going on between the two.

A hand slid over her chest and she reached up to hold it, only to discover that instead of flat fingers, she gripped sharp claws.

"That's right, let yourself feel it..." he whispered. Slowly, his voice began to carry a slight accent to it. "This is not wrong."

Elita moaned quietly, feeling a sensation of pleasure that she had never experienced before; it felt hot and powerful, working its way through her to her very core. She felt her legs wrap around his waist and her fingers smoothed back down the base of his head before she felt long horns on the side of her lover's helm. Elita's optics slowly opened and she saw a flash of black and gold.

She looked up at her dream lover, and then the fantasy turned into a nightmare. She was horrified to see that she was embracing Unicron. He was smiling down at her, his violet optics half-lidded and practically glowing with lust. His sharp teeth bared themselves into a hungry smile. Elita tried to pull away, but Unicron's hands came down onto her wrists and she stared up at him, deeply alarmed and gasping with terror at his presence.

He said nothing more, but smiled again and leaned down to kiss her neck. Elita gave a frightened groan and arched her back to try and wriggle away from him, but it did no good to even do so. It was as if she was rooted to the spot, unable to move. Even though she was fighting him, something inside of her wanted to give in. A deep yearning that seemed to burn inside of her chest. She looked completely ashamed of herself when Unicron leaned forward to look into her frightened eyes.

_"You like that,"_ he whispered, _"You want this."_ He pressed his lips against hers for another kiss before smiling darkly at her. _"No one can ever touch you as I touch you."_

Elita stared up at him as he released his grip on her wrists. She clutched at his forearms, her fingers digging into the wiring. She squeezed her optics shut at the soft sighing sound from him. It sounded so powerful, hungry and dark.

"This isn't real." she whispered, her voice strained with passion and fear. "It can't be real. It can't..."

Unicron chuckled softly and rubbed his hand up and down against her exposed back, across her shoulders and against her neck where he cupped her cheek in one delicate grip. It was strange that he was being so gentle, his touch teasing and deliberate as it moved so lightly over her armor like a breath of air. Elita could feel a raging fire drawing closer and closer, pulling itself deep inside of her, entering her brain and swallowing all of her fears and pain. She wanted to give in...

_"You want this, precious one,"_ he crooned, his voice slowly beginning to drown out in her head, _"You want to leave all of this trivial life behind and be with me. It's what you want. I can feel your desire, my sweet Elita. Come to me..."_

Elita moaned softly, shuddering against him as his lips wove arousing paths down her neck and in between the seam of her chest plating. She clung to him desperately, fighting the urge to submit to him and defy him all at once.

"I can't..." she moaned, her voice growing weak, "I can't."

_"Then perhaps I should motivate you a little more..."_

Elita tried to scream, but all that emerged was a pleasured moan.

_Optimus..._


	4. Interval 3

**The Devil's Plaything**

**Disclaimer: **Behold a bizarre idea that blossomed from a variety of sources; one in particular came from a frightening nightmare that I had of being trapped in darkness. I could see myself surrounded by eyes just...staring at me. I could hear whispers as well. Of course, this idea was originated from that source, I thought it would make for an interesting tale. There will be sexual references and probably disturbing imagery, so there you go. This isn't in a particular continuity as I wanted Unicron to actually be scary.

_"Commit the oldest sins the newest kind of ways."_

_-_William Shakespeare

_"Hope is the worst of evils, for it prolongs the torment of man."_

-Friedrich Nietzsche quotes

**By: VampireQueenAkasha**

_"We have no physical form you could comprehend..."_

-The Vok, Beast Wars

**Interval 3**

_"Their sighs, lamentations and loud wailings resounded through the starless air, so that at first it made me weep; Strange utterances, horrible pronouncements, words of pain, tones of anger, voices shrill and faint, and beating hands, all went to make a tumult that will whirl forever through that turbid, timeless air, like sand that eddies when a whirlwind swirls."_

_- Divine Comedy, Canto III, lines 22-30._

Optimus made his way deeper into the Void, noticing that the world around him was starting to change. The trees were gnarled and twisted like bodies and he could even see faces in them. They looked lifeless and yet, moaned softly. He attempted to keep his central processor clear and not let the horrible sights get to him. He had seen plenty of war to enable his ability to become numb to gruesome imagery, but this was different.

_"Hey! Optimus!"_

Optimus looked up and his spark tightened at the golden and blue sight of Sentinel Prime staring back at him. There were sick, disgusting patches of black covering his body and his blue optics were cracked, seeping with violet. His mouth was split in several directions and a part of his face looked like it had been punched in, revealing a grimacing, hateful scowl of the chrome skull beneath. Overall, he looked NOTHING like the Sentinel Prime Optimus once knew.

"Sentinel?" Optimus whispered, stunned.

_"I no longer know of Sentinel," _the mech hissed, snarling out his words; they were mildly distorted due to the horrendous damages done of his face, _"But I know you don't deserve to have your precious Elita-One. Not after what you did."_

Optimus looked confused and cautious. "What do you mean, Sentinel?" he demanded.

_"The Lineage of the Primes has grown weaker!" _Sentinel spat, _"When I passed the Matrix on to you, I had already committed the greatest sin; I had betrayed in the name of Primus Himself. That is why my soul can never find the Well. It drifted so far until Unicron eventually found me. So why should you be given a chance at redemption?"_

Optimus could feel hatred coming from the soul of his brother/mentor. He held out a hand reassuringly, hoping that he could calm him. It was clear that Sentinel had spent too long in the Void and was becoming tainted by his own deep, dark emotions. It was all the reason more he had to find Elita. "S-Sentinel. Please..." he said, gently, "Please help me understand what sin I have committed. I don't know anything about it, I swear to you."

Sentinel grinned with the good side of his face. _"You too betrayed in the name of Primus," _he whispered, with malice, _"You swore to Him that you would never betray Elita's love the day the pair of you first interfaced. But you have. Oh yes, you have indeed."_

Optimus couldn't believe his audios. "What?" he exclaimed, "I NEVER betrayed her."

_"You can deny it all you want, Optimus," _Sentinel hissed, _"The truth will remain the same."_

Optimus shook his head, his hands shaking at his sides. He took a step forward. "It's a lie!" he bellowed, with a fierceness to his voice, "I would never have done anything to hurt Elita! I am loyal to her alone! I swear to-"

_"You swear to who, Optimus?"_

Another voice joined them and Optimus looked up. Beyond Sentinel, Unicron appeared, his claws gripping Sentinel's shoulders, forcing the former Holder of the Matrix to his knees. He was grinning broadly, eager to see Optimus ruin himself, but Optimus had no idea what he had done. Nothing came to his mind of any atrocity he could have committed to have brought this on Elita or himself. He did not know.

"Unicron, where is Elita?" Optimus demanded.

_"Why do you care where she is, Optimus?" _Unicron sneered, tilting his head with a grin full of fang, _"After all, you could have any femme you want in the universe. Why stop at one?"_

Optimus shook his head with disgust. "Be quiet! I will not hear any more of your lies!"

_"Are they really lies, Optimus?" _Unicron questioned, pacing over to the Prime, _"Or are they your mind refusing to recall what you have done?" _

Optimus didn't understand, so Unicron gave a broad sweep of his hand. Sentinel disappeared at the silent command and the forest world went with him as well. Then, another world appeared around them; it was a stone city scape with other Cybertronians who were more barbaric in nature and rough in appearance. Optimus could not recall these people, but Unicron explained for him.

_"They are the Thetacons; a tribal race of barbarian scavengers," _Unicron told him. A wicked grin slid across his face and he glanced at the young Prime. _"Do you remember this place, Optimus? You were sent here with your comrades to negotiate peace among the people. A peace that even the council felt was impossible. Yet you traversed it anyway, hoping that you could somehow do it."_

A sick feeling wormed through Optimus' spark; memory began to return to him and a part of him did not want to continue watching what Unicron was showing him. He observed himself in the illusion calling orders for Jazz and Prowl. It changed when Thetacon guards came after them and cuffed their wrists, leading them to prison cells.

_"Most of those who venture to the planet never live to see the dawn," _Unicron continued, _"Though the matriarch of the Thetacons claimed that she would set you and your comrades free if you gave an offering to her of her own choice. If you refused, they would all be killed in front of you. Then they would kill you as well. Oh yes. The Thetacons were never known for their mercy, were they?"_

Optimus moaned quietly and shook his head, trying to rebuke the images.

The image playing out before him showed himself dropped to his knees before a voluptuous figure sitting in a throne with two burly Thetacon guards before her. She was covered in tribal markings and wore a bright red waist cloth. She was also holding a gnarled scepter in her hands. They appeared to talk before the matriarch waved her scepter with a delicious smile on her face. The Optimus in the illusion hung his head and nodded, seemingly agreeing to something.

_"She wanted you as an offering," _Unicron purred, _"She was weary of the males of her kind unable to satisfy her. She wanted a Prime to take her in her berth, a male worthy of her. And because you wanted your comrades spared from her wrath, you took her up on her offering."_

Optimus slowly shook his head with anguish, watching himself in a berth with the matriarch, repeatedly thrusting into her. She was moaning with pleasure, writhing beneath him with her limbs wrapped tightly around his body.

Unicron grinned broadly and tilted his head back, admiring the sight. _"You reveled in the world of sin, my dear Prime. And now, Elita is paying the price."_

"No...I..." Optimus groaned. He shook his head with despair. "I-I had no choice. I had to-"

Unicron let out a deep, thunderous laugh before be began to disappear in a swirl of smoke. _"I wonder if she will want you back!"_

O

Elita had unfortunately seen what Unicron showed Optimus and her scream of anguish nearly pierced through the Void.

"No, it's not true! No, no, no..." she sobbed, "No, Optimus wouldn't do that to me!"

Unicron laughed softly at her suffering. _"I told you before, Elita; even the purest can become corrupted. While your dear Optimus Prime vowed to remain loyal to you, he was confronted with a choice and made it. He could have done so and ended his own life, but he chose another path. He chose to let them live." _He watched as she sat there on her knees, covering her face with two hands. _"And in doing so, he chose them over you."_

Elita moaned with despair, shaking her head. She felt Unicron's hand on her shoulder.

_"Poor sweet thing..." _he crooned, in a strange voice; it almost sounded as if he were attempting to comfort her, _"Now you understand. Now you see that the Light leaves only pain. The Dark will only welcome and comfort you." _He leaned forward, bringing his fangs close to her audio receptor. _"Choose me, Elita. Choose the Dark."_

Elita sobbed quietly. "I can't... I can't!"

_"Then perhaps it's time I made the decision for you."_

Elita's optics widened when Unicron stood up and took hold of the back of her neck. He brought her to her knees and forced her head back. Elita shuddered when she felt her body unable to move against the power of the Chaos God. She watched him upside down as he smiled and raised a finger to her forehead. It was then that she realized what was going to happen. She let out a terrified cry and her optics trembled, the pupils narrowing to dots.

"No, please..." she begged, "Don't do this!"

She was at her weakest point and felt her mind slowly peeling apart, layer by layer. A sick blackness began to fill through the cracks, suffocating her spark, and choking her. Her life played back before her in rapid procession from the day she cycled her first intake to the present. The last thing she remembered seeing was Unicron smiling down at her before her vision blackened.

O

Optimus ran until he found himself in a great courtyard surrounded by corpses of fallen Cybertronians. Before him, Unicron appeared and Optimus froze where he stood.

"Where is Elita?" he demanded.

Unicron gestured to the side. _"Elita is here. Safe and sound."_

Optimus looked beyond Unicron and saw something step out of the shadows. His spark sank in despair and pain when he saw who it was. It was Elita, but she looked nothing like her usual self; her dark pink armor was now an unholy black, tinged with green and gold stripes. Those lovely blue optics were now burning with violet and she had jagged contours to her body. Her fingers ended in long, deadly claws and her helm possessed slightly smaller horns, similar to Unicron.

"Elita...no..." Optimus whispered, "No!"

She only reacted with a look of hatred and contempt. It was so foreign on her that Optimus had to look away for a brief moment. He glared at Unicron.

"What have you done to her?" he bellowed.

_"I opened her optics to the truth," _Unicron sneered, standing behind Elita and running his hands almost possessively over her shoulders, _"You should have remained faithful to such a pure, unspoiled soul, Optimus Prime."_

Optimus shook his head with a soft groan. "Elita..."

She said nothing but watched him like a caged animal waiting to be unleashed. There was no peace in those optics, but evil. Pure evil. No! He refused to believe that Elita would become so swayed by darkness. She was stronger than that. Optimus knew that Elita would always fight until her last intake before turning to wickedness!

_"What will it be, Optimus?" _Unicron asked, _"Are you going to stand against me and your lover?" _

Optimus shook his head defiantly. "I won't fight her, but I will rid her of your evil!"

_"Oh? How?"_

"The Matrix."

Unicron let out a cruel laugh that reverberated all around them. Elita's only reaction was an inquisitive tilt of her head.

_"You know very little of the Void, Optimus," _Unicron told him, _"This is my kingdom. The Matrix's power is utterly worthless in the Dark." _

Optimus refused to show any form of falter or fear in the face of the inevitable. "No. You're wrong. It defeated you once before, it can do so again!" he promised, "I will not allow Elita to fall into Darkness! I will destroy you!"

Unicron smirked before he raised one hand and pointed at him.

_"Go." _he commanded.

Before Optimus knew it, Elita charged for him.


	5. Interval 4

**The Devil's Plaything**

**Disclaimer: **Behold a bizarre idea that blossomed from a variety of sources; one in particular came from a frightening nightmare that I had of being trapped in darkness. I could see myself surrounded by eyes just...staring at me. I could hear whispers as well. Of course, this idea was originated from that source, I thought it would make for an interesting tale. There will be sexual references and probably disturbing imagery, so there you go. This isn't in a particular continuity as I wanted Unicron to actually be scary.

_"Commit the oldest sins the newest kind of ways."_

_-_William Shakespeare

_"Hope is the worst of evils, for it prolongs the torment of man."_

-Friedrich Nietzsche quotes

**By: VampireQueenAkasha**

_"We have no physical form you could comprehend..."_

-The Vok, Beast Wars

**Interval 4**

_"I saw within Its depth how It conceives all things in a single volume bound by Love, of which the universe is the scattered leaves."_

_- Divine Comedy, Paradiso; Canto XXXIII, lines 85-87_

Elita surged at Optimus like a hellish storm. He attempted to dodge the swinging of her wrist blades and barely missed as the tip of one cut into his shoulder. He recoiled and barely had a chance to avoid the next attack. Unicron watched the scene with macabre amusement.

_"Can you destroy the very thing you adore the most, Prime?" _he purred, _"Come and find me afterward. I'll be waiting for you."_

Optimus caught a glimpse of Unicron as he disappeared before facing Elita with despair. "Elita, please!" he begged, "Don't do this!"

Elita charged again and Optimus ducked to avoid the swing of her wrist blade; it narrowly missed one of his ear finials. Optimus backed up, pacing around her as she mirrored the move. Elita may have been smaller in size, but she was as capable as any mech in combat. She wasn't the Commander of the female Autobots for no reason. Optimus had no desire to harm her, but he had to be cautious because she had the ability to kill him.

"Listen to me, Elita," he pleaded, "Whatever you saw was a mistake. I had no choice. I was never intentionally unfaithful to you. They would have killed my comrades! You know the mech I am inside. You know how much I love you!"

That stirred a widened glare from her and she let out a furious shriek, surging for him. _"LIAR!" _she screamed.

Optimus was horrified by the near bestial scream coming from his love. He raised his arms and blocked the attack of her blades. They cut into his arms, digging into the circuits and wires. He clenched his denta and retracted his battle mask, looking at her desperately. She glared back at him, showing her denta in a display of menace. But something flickered across her gaze that was there and gone again like lightning.

Optimus had seen it.

Internal suffering.

They separated and Optimus stepped back cautiously. "Elita, I won't fight you." he said.

She looked momentarily surprised, but snarled and lunged, punching him hard in the face. Optimus stumbled back from the blow; it hurt more than he anticipated. When he tried to right himself, Elita delivered a kick to his midsection, sending him stumbling several feet away. Elita stalked toward him as he staggered to his feet. He stared at her with sorrow and slowly shook his head. Elita blinked in disbelief before she snarled and slapped him across the face.

_"Fight!" _she shouted.

"No."

_"FIGHT!"_

Again, Optimus refused and Elita began to slap him in the face over and over with fierceness. Her long claws ripped bits of his armor away and he just stared at her with anguish, taking the slaps without so much as a murmur of pain. His optics were tormented and he continued to take the blows for a while before he noticed something change in Elita's face. Lubricant began to form in her optics and her slaps began to weaken to a slight degree.

Elita staggered from Optimus, soft sobbing sounds emerging from her lips. Her features became a rictus of torment and despair and she jerked away as if she had been burned.

"Elita?" Optimus whispered, stunned.

She was fighting it. He could see it in her gaze that she struggled to rebuke Unicron's influence. Her wrist blades leveled toward his head and her arm faintly trembled. When it seemed as if she was truly going to cut him down, Elita swung her blade back and stabbed herself in the leg with it, giving a shriek of pain. Violet Energon trickled from her thigh and dripped down onto the floor. Optimus watched this with horror.

Elita made several weak cries of pain and held the blade in her leg for a long time, panting through her olfactory sensor. She clenched her denta and snarled again, advancing toward Optimus in a threatening manner once more. She started to lunge again, but Optimus grabbed her wrist. She gave a cry of surprise and he brought her to her knees with him. Elita struggled and squirmed, lashing out with her other arm, but Optimus grabbed that one as well, wrapping it up under his so that she could not get free.

Optimus watched as Elita struggled to squirm free, her optics wild with fury and hate. He closed his optics. "Matrix of Leadership, I call upon you," he begged, "Please... Please free Elita from this suffering and torment. I call upon you from the deepest part of my spark. Please...save her."

For the longest time, it seemed as if the Matrix would not respond to his plea. Then, his chest plates folded back, revealing the bright blue glow of the Matrix beneath. Elita's squirms intensified and she let out a cry as a ray of light shot directly at her own chest. Immediately, her mind was flooded with memories from that fateful day when Optimus supposedly betrayed her love. But instead, she could see it through his own optics.

_I did not want to do it._

_I did not enjoy it. _

_I did it to save them. I have always loved you. I never wanted to hurt you, Elita._

Elita's head fell back, tears streaming down her cheeks. Her jaw hung open in an expression of shock before the light eventually faded. She collapsed and her internals whined down. Optimus bent forward and touched her chest with one hand. She still had a spark pulse, but it was incredibly weak.

"Elita..." Optimus whispered, "Forgive me."

Much later, Unicron was waiting patiently when Optimus arrived.

_"So, have you taken the life of your precious Elita?" _the Chaos God sneered.

"She lives," Optimus said, struggling to contain the fury in his chest, "But today, I'm going to be rid of you once and for all."

Unicron didn't seem to be intimidated, despite the fact that the Matrix had clearly been of use, even in the Void. _"Elita was merely a test," _he told him, _"I made a bargain with my brother to see if a Prime was truly capable of betrayal." _His optics flickered wickedly. _"I told my brother that the Matrix will be mine should a Prime betray his vow under the name of Primus. Sentinel had already passed it to you, so his word was useless. But now that you're here..."_

Optimus recoiled at the very thought of it. "No. The Matrix will NEVER be yours!"

Unicron smirked at him. _"Then I will simply ruin you, Optimus Prime."_

He surged at Optimus with a frightening roar, slamming into his midsection. Optimus was thrown off of his feet and tumbled across the invisible floor before he quickly scrambled upright. Unicron laughed wickedly and grabbed Optimus' throat, yanking the Prime off of his feet. Optimus kicked out and struggled to deliver a blow to Unicron's abdomen, but his kicks simply passed through his body as if he were nothing.

Unicron flung him through the air and he stumbled head over heels before going still.

_"Pitiful little thing!" _the Chaos God sneered, _"You're going to die here. Die and wander aimlessly in the Void forever."_

"Like you?" Optimus grunted.

Unicron looked mildly surprised by that. _"What?"_

"I get it now," Optimus said, slowly rising to his feet, "You're a prisoner here, just like the rest of them." He scowled at Unicron's furious features. "And you want to somehow use me to get out of this place. I'm afraid that's never going to happen, not while I still function."

Unicron snarled with fury. _"I will tear your spark out and feast on it!"_

Optimus watched as Unicron lunged at him again. His chest plates separated and revealed the glow of the Matrix beneath them. Light slowly engulfed the Chaos God and Unicron let out a terrifying, unholy roar. The sound pierced Optimus' audio receptors and he focused every ounce of himself into the Matrix, praying that it would be enough to be rid of Unicron.

The light blinded him completely, the sounds of Unicron's roars nearly deafened his audios.

"BEGONE!" he shouted.

O

_Several Cycles Later_

"Optimus Prime...you have disobeyed the command of the High Council," Levitacus announced, staring down at the Prime with dismay on his features, "You have traversed through the Void despite our warnings of the danger."

Optimus had his head hanging as he stood before the council members. He hadn't spoken a single word.

"Speak, Optimus," Levitacus urged.

Optimus lifted his head and met each and every expectant gaze. "I would prefer that I see to Elita's condition before we continue," he told them, "You can see fit to judge me accordingly for my actions afterwards."

Levitacus was surprised as well as the rest of the council. Optimus had run off to a suicide mission in order to save Elita and yet, he had come back out of it unscathed. Really, they knew that such actions would have to be punished, regardless of the fact that he was successful. It seemed that the young Prime was aware of the possible punishment and would accept it. Levitacus decided to let him go for the time being.

"Very well," he replied, nodding his head, "Dismissed."

Optimus gave a quick bow before leaving the council hall. He made his way to Iacon Infirmary where he met up with Ratchet. The older bot appeared to be exhausted, but didn't show any signs that something had gone wrong, so Optimus was a bit relieved by that.

"How is she?" he asked.

Ratchet smiled. "Doing well. She's been sleeping the whole time."

Optimus nodded his head. "Can I see her?"

"Yes. She's been asking about you during examinations," Ratchet replied, leading Optimus to the designated room, "I take it the two of you have some talking to do."

Optimus looked slightly grave. "Yes."

Ratchet gestured to the door. "Well...I'll be out here if you need anything."

The Prime gave him an acknowledging look before stepping into the room. Elita was lying in the berth on her back, staring up at the ceiling. She appeared to look so lost and confused. When she sensed someone entering the room, she looked over and reached out beseechingly like a youngling. Optimus immediately moved at her side and knelt down, wrapping his arms around her. He felt tears from Elita's optics drip onto his chest.

"Forgive me, Optimus..." she whispered, her voice taut with despair.

"No. Oh Primus, no, Elita," Optimus soothed, parting to look at her sorrowful face, "Don't you dare say that. None of this is yours to blame. None of it."

Elita shook her head. "I let him win, Optimus. I let him get into me."

"You fought him, Elita. You're stronger than anyone I've ever known," Optimus reassured her, "You fought his influence, even when it was at its strongest. I saw you out there in the Void. Your optics...I saw you looking at me. Unicron couldn't hold on to that."

Elita took a shuddering intake of air before she hung her head.

Optimus leaned forward and brushed his lips against her cheek. "It it I who should be begging you for forgiveness," he said.

"I saw the truth, Optimus. There's no need."

Optimus could see the sadness in her gaze as she looked away. But there was also anger there. Anger and frustration. She must have still felt some ill feelings about what she had let Unicron do to her. Optimus didn't know what else he could say to reassure her otherwise.

"Elita, we can get through this," he said, bringing her to his chest in a loving embace, "I promise."

Elita shut her optics with a small sigh and a smile in her voice. "Yes..."

After a while, Elita was persuaded to get some more rest. Optimus spent the remainder of the day in her room, keeping a watch over her. Of course, he eventually fell asleep as well. The room was silent, save for their intakes of breath.

Then, Elita's optics opened and she sat up straight, looking at Optimus as he slumbered. She climbed out of bed and stood over him. Optimus eventually awoke and looked up in surprise to see Elita staring down at him. Her optics were empty and devoid of emotion. She appeared to be in an odd, trance-like state.

"Elita?" Optimus said, surprised, "What is it?"

She bent forward, bringing her face close to his before she smirked; it was a very unfriendly look and her blue optics flickered with unholy violet fire. She opened her mouth which had razor-sharp denta now and Unicron's voice emerged from her.

_"What's wrong, Optimus? Don't you want me?" _

Then, she lunged.

Optimus awoke from the nightmare with a cry of fright. He looked around the room and noticed that Elita was still sound asleep in recharge. He staggered to his feet and walked to a mirror, hoping to find a way to calm himself.

In the back of his mind, he could hear Unicron's wicked laughter fading. It was practically vibrating all around him. It couldn't have been possible, but it seemed to be true after all...

Unicron wasn't gone.

He had been played just like before. Only this time, he was with him.

No.

Within him.

_"I'm here, Prime..."_

Optimus looked into the mirror and could see a horrible reflection of Unicron staring back at him. The Chaos God's cruel laugh pierced through his mind. Optimus shook his head with a moan of despair._  
_

"No!" he shrieked._  
_

The scream roused Elita from slumber and she looked up at him with worry.

"Optimus, what's wrong?"

THE END


End file.
